Marble shooter



July 21, 1936. DQNATO 2,048,061

MARBLE SHOOTER Filed April 29,.1935

Inventor $62 2 2 ,Zaazaia 4/ Patented July 21, 1936 .i

PATENT OFFICE l SHOOTER I Peter Donate, Patchogue, N. Y.Application'April 29, 1935, Serial No. 18,945

4 Claims.

LThislnven'tion' pertains to new and useful improvementsin marbleshooters of the general type bithatco'nstituting the subject matter ofmy United States Patent No. 1,988,191, issued J anuary 15,1935. 7

SThe-primary object of the present invention is to provide, in a manneras hereinafter set forth, ashooterof the character described comprisingnovel meansfor releasably securing the marble in position therein, thuspermitting the device to be manipulated as desired when in use withoutdanger of the-marble dropping therefrom.

- Another importantobject of the invention is to provide, in a manner ashereinafter set forth, novel means. for holding the spring actuatedplunger in partially retracted position in a mannerto retain'the marbletherein when the device is not in 'use. Other objects of the inventionareto-provide a shooter of the. aforementioned character which will becomparatively simple in "construction, strong-durable, highly efficientand reliable in use, compact, light in weight and which may bemanufactured at low cost.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of theinvention will become apparent from a study of the followingspecification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing whereinlike characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughoutthe several views, and wherein:-

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a marble shooter constructed inaccordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a view in vertical longitudinal section through theinvention.

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the rear end portion of theinvention, showing the means by which the plunger is secured inpartially retracted position in a manner to retain the marble thereinwhen the device is not in use.

Figure 4 is a view in vertical longitudinal section through the forwardend portion of the device, showing the plunger in its forwardmostposition.

Figure 5 is a top plan View of the plunger.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, it will be seen that theembodiment of the present invention which has been illustrated comprisesa barrel l of suitable length and material, said barrel being open atits forward end and closed at its rear end, as at 2. Pressed outwardlyin the forward end portion of the barrel l is a socket 3, the purpose ofwhich will be presently set forth.

Extending slidably through a slot which is provided therefor in the endclosure 2 of the barrel l'is'a substantially fiat stem 4 of suitablemetal having fixed on its forward end for reciprocation in the barrel la substantially cup-shaped plunger 5 whichis adapted to receive themarble to be 5 projected, asat 6. At its forward end, the plunger 5terminates in an out-turned flange I which is engaged with the barrel l,the rest of said plunger being spaced from said barrel, as illustratedto advantage'in Figure 2 of the drawing. Rearwardl0 ly of the flange lthe plunger ,5 has formed therein an opening 8, the purpose of whichalso will be presently set forth.

The reference numeral 9 designates a resilient finger which is securedon one side of a forward portion of the stem 4, as by a screw Ill. Theresilient finger 9 extends forwardly between the plunger. 5 and thebarrel 1. and terminates in an inwardly curved free end portion which isadapted to be projected through the opening 8 in a mannerto engage andretain the marble 6 in the plunger 5, as best seen in Figure 2 of thedrawing. A coil spring ll encircles the stem 4 in the barrel l and hasone end engaged with the closure 2 and its other end engaged with anabutment [2 on said stem 4 for actuating the plunger 5.

The reference numeral I3 designates generally a handle which is providedon the rear end portion of the stem for retracting the plunger 5 againstthe tension of the coil spring H. The handle I3 is formed from a singlelength of suitable metal and includes an eye I4 for the reception of afinger, said handle further including leg portions l5 straddling thestem I 4 and pivotally secured thereto, as by a bolt IS. The legs I5terminate in outturned feet I! which constitute stops engageable withthe closure 2.

In use, with the plunger 5 in its forward position, as shown in Figure 4of the drawing, the marble 6 is placed therein. The plunger 5 is thenretracted against the tension of the coil spring ll through the mediumof the handle 13, as shown in Figure 2 of the drawing. When the plunger5 is in its forward position, the forward end portion of the resilientretaining finger 9 is engaged in the socket 3, thus permitting insertionof the marble in said plunger. However, it will be noted that when theplunger 5 is retracted, thus disengaging the resilient retaining finger9 from the socket 3, said finger is projected through the opening 8 in amanner to engage and retain the marble in said plunger 5. When aim hasbeen taken, the handle I3 is released thus permitting the coil spring II to drive the plunger 5 forwardly in the barrel I. As the plunger 5reaches its forwardmost position and is arrested by engagement of thestops I! with the closure 2, the resilient finger 9 enters the socket 3and is thereby withdrawn from said plunger 5, thus releasing andpermittingthe-marble 6 tobe projected from the device. When the deviceis not in use and it is desired to retain the marble 6' therein, thehandle I3 is swung to the position shown in Figure 3 of the drawing forretaining said plunger 5 in partially retracted .position.,

It is believed that the many advantages of a marble shooter constructedin accordance with and although a preferred embodiment of the device isas illustrated and described, it. istohbei: understood that changes inthe details of construction and in the. combination and arrange ment ofparts may be resorteditowhich will fall.

within the scope of the invention as cIaimed.,,

What is claimed is:

-' -1..;A nrarble shooterg-pomprising -'a barrel; 'a

st-em ;;extendi;ng slidahly; into said -barrel,: a sub stantially-=eupshaped plunger fixed1 on;;the stem and operable in-thebarrel, said,plunge1? loeing adapted for the reception; ofy aemarble; said plung r an :--tope in ie e n; t ;ba el having a socket therein a resilient fingermountd o 3. 6 s e d -.en e b .e in s hfi P u the present invention willbe readily understood,

' throughthe openingfor retaining' -the-marblerin 'saidplunger when saidplunger is' retracted, said resilient". finger being engageable infathesocket when the. Splunger is', :in its) forward position, and

means 'for actuating the plunger;

2. A shooter om rising a; barrel "op at one l b m lli i fse i eelfl' iifi e movable with the plunger andengageabletherein for ,re s yi e hg roic le in po on;

saidibarrel havinga recess tliereinior the re-= ception of theresilientufingero for allowing, said finger to disengagefrom.theplungenhr releasend, a; plunger Ffor the reception of 9. propane Ving the projectile, and means for actuating the I plunger vWhen saidplunger is retracted, the barrel having a socket therein adjacent itsopen end for the reception of the finger for withdrawing saidfingepfromthe plunger for releasing the projectile when said plunger isin its forwardposition, a spring mounted in the barrel and op- .able inthe plunger through the openingzfor re- *l'easably securing theprojectile in position in said eratively .connected to the stem: for"yieldingly ging the-plunger forwardly, and meansmount ed on one endof-the"ster n iforretracting the plunger against the tension oi thespring. 5 2:5: 4. A shooter of the class described :comprising a barrelopen at one endand closed at'its other end; a stem extending slid abl yinto thesbarrel 'through the closed -end' thereof, a; substantially.

cup-shapedplunger, for the-receptionpi aproe jectile, mounted on thestem and operable in the barrel, a-resilientfinger engageable in theplunger when said plunger is in; retracted position; for

retaining the projectile therein, a spring mounted iin-ther barrel andoperatively connected to the sternfon yieldin gly urging the plungerforwardly. in saidbarrel, and a handle pivotally mounted.

on-therearend portion of the stem forretracting the plunger against thetension ofv-theispring,"

.said handle being engageableiwiththe closed end of. :th e barrelfonretaining the plunger ;in-j.re-" tracted-position; l if Y 1 T R'DONA'IO-sw.

